Twenty-four Republican committeemen have made their party’s bed. Now they have to sleep in it.

Voting unanimously in a secret meeting against the wishes of Bruce Rauner, their party’s candidate for governor, the local GOP gave a huge vote of confidence to their chairman, Jim Thompson.

Thompson, you might remember, put a tasteless, racially offensive joke in the party’s April newsletter, comparing the biracial President Barack Obama to a cross between a donkey and a zebra who is “all a**.”

He apologized only to those who were offended by it and promised not to do such a thing again. The joke was forwarded to a nationally known website and went viral. It was mentioned in a Washington Post blog.

Ald. Jamie Getchius, R-2, and County Board member John Guevara, the party’s candidate for state representative in the 67th District, called for Thompson to resign. The County Board’s majority Republican caucus issued a statement by its chairman, John Sweeney Jr.: “The Republican caucus of the Winnebago County Board would like to state that we do not believe the comments made by Chairman Jim Thompson represent the values of our party or the policies we pursue in government. We strongly condemn his remarks and believe that he should step down as chairman of the WCRCC.”

Said Rauner spokesman Mike Schrimpf: “Bruce believes the comments in the newsletter were wholly inappropriate and don’t have a place in the Republican Party. It would be best if he resigned.”

That raised some eyebrows because other Republicans thought Thompson would agree to step down. That didn’t happen. What is surprising is the unanimous vote of confidence in the chairman.

Well, actions have consequences, and some GOP’ers who have to face the voters aren’t happy. They may make a statement soon expressing displeasure with what the central committee did. Unless the string-puller gets to them first.

A key Democrat is also upset.

I got a call Wednesday from Rep. Chuck Jefferson, D-Rockford, who doesn’t call me out of the blue; usually he’s returning my phone call.

Jefferson, a mild-mannered guy and Rockford’s highest-ranking black elected official, was clearly irritated. The GOP’s decision to keep its chairman “is appalling to me. The thing that gets me the most, it’s probably in the Democrats’ favor to keep Mr. Thompson where he is. If a Democratic chairman had said something like that, he’d have been gone a long time ago.

“There are a lot of great Republicans, so I was appalled that the Republican Party allowed him to stay in that position. They talk about inclusion, reaching out to minorities, but how can you do that and make racist statements? I can’t understand some of their leaders over in that party.

“How can Republicans allow this guy to lead their party from now on? He’s leading a county organization of the national party.”

Jefferson’s indignation is one indication that Thompson’s unanimous retention as chairman of the Winnebago County Republican Central Committee might energize unmotivated Democrats and independents to go to the polls Nov. 4.

That would help Democratic Gov. Pat Quinn, who’s in the race of his life against Rauner, who wanted Thompson to quit but was ignored by his party in a county that may be key to winning this governor’s race.